Production of potash.



unrr s'rrns r r- Fries.

I SYLVESTER SPARLING, OF HAMMOND, INDIANA.

PRODUCTION or rorasn,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Eaten'ted Aug.- 18, 1908.

Application filed February 27, 1908.' Serial No. 418,052.

useful Improvements in the Production of Potash, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to producing potash, and the rimary object is to convert the alkali'of tie various varieties of Artemis ta, popularly known as sage-brush, into potash.

Another object is to provide a new and improved process for the conversion of the alkali of sage brush or other suitable Wood into otash.

1th these objects in view the invention consists in the matters hereinafter setiorth and then pointed out in the appended claims.

In carrying out the primary object of my invention of converting the alkali of the various varieties of Ariemisia, commonly known as sage brush, into potash, I treat the sage brush by reducing it to ashes and then extract the potash from the ashes by any su table method, as by lixiviation and evapo; ation of the water employed in lixiviatii'ig. As the preferred method of converting the alkaliol sage brush into potash illustrates and embodies my method of converting the alkali of any suitable wood into otash, a description of one will fully eXemp ify and disclose the other. i

For the purposes in view I place a charge of sage-brush in a closed furnace or retort of any suitable character, and slowly char it at as low temperature as possible until it has been reduced to charcoal or until all volatile matters are liberated, it being of courseunderstood that the volatile gases may be con densed and saved for by-products if desired. Aft-er the volatile mattersare liberated, a flue is opened in the top or at other suitable point in the retort, and enough air is admitted through suitable draft-openings at or near the bottom of the retort to burn the charge of charcoal after it has been ignited, only enough air being admitted to cause the charge to burn at adull glow, and this slow combustion is continued until the charge is completely reduced to ashes.

The initial reduction of the wood to charcoal and the final reduction of the charcoal added, preferably one pound of lime to one to ashes may be accomplished in the same retort or in different retorts as desired. The potash is then extracted from the ashes by any suitable method; for example, the resulting ashes may be dumped into a yet and lixiviated with Water to which lime has been 80. thousand gallons of water, the contents of, the vat being agitated for about ten minutes preferably with steam and then transierred to another vat the bottom of which is perforated with holes and covered with straw and sand, and the liquor Which filters through is further agitated in a suitable vat preferably with steam and after standing until any suspended matter settles is siphoned oil into evaporating pans where the Water is evapo 74) rated, leaving the potash. The potash re' maining after the water has been driven or? may be further purified by roasting in a reverberatory furnace if desired.

It is to be understood that the e otien of the potash iromthe ashes may be accomplished in any manner and by an suitable therefor, and that the salient eater-e of my invention relates to the induct the sage brush or other Wood to ashe. stantial IVhil course ndersto d that Woods may be employed in its broad aspect conte sion of the alkali of any Si). or vine by charring, prete retort or furnace, to dri matters or so that charc' (either in the same or anoin burning the ch rcoal b With as little heat in J n4 burn it at a dull glow, to reduce from which the potash is srtably 5 This method is highly el'licient as practical tests; for example, I hav strated that whereas a ton of by ordinary methods of combustion u 140 pounds oi ashes having 21% of po ton of the same Wood treated by my yields practically the same Weight oi but having 61% potash.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. The conversion the alkali. ofwood, plants or vines into A .xsh by reducing the same to charcoal at a co. parati vely low tem Eemture, burning the charcoal by slow com- 'until the charge is reduced to ashes, and exustion at a, dull glow until reduced to ashes, tracting the potash from the ashes. 10 and extracting the potash from the ashes. In testimony whereof I affix my signature 2. The conversion vof Artemis la into potin presence oftwo Witnesses. 5 esh by charring the same at acorn aratively SYLVESTE R SPARLING.

. low temperature until the volat' e matters Witnesses: v

are liberated, burning the charge, after the GEORGE R. HARBAUGH,

volatile matters are liberated, at a dullglow J. MoROBER'rs. 

